Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 657,663. Patented Sept. ll, I900. E. LARTIGNE.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Ap 20, 1899.) (N o M 0 d e l E ucnms PETERS cov mom-mac. WASHINGTON. uv'c.

UniTEo ESTATES lATENT Cri ics.

EMMANUEL LARTIGNE, or OANDERAN, FRANCE.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Ilfatent No. 657,663, dated September 11, 1900. Application filed April 270, 1899, Serial No. 713,732. No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMANUEL LARTIGNE, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Candran France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Apparatus for Producing Acetylene Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to acetylene-gas-producing apparatus, one object being to provide a device of this kind in which acetylene gas is automatically produced by means of carbid of calcium dropped into water, the feed of carbid being regulated so as to obtain a sufficiently-steady pressure within the appa ratus and said regulation being efiected automatically by the direct pressure of gas without any mechanical intermediate.

A further object of the invention is to avoid the necessity of more or less complicated mechanism and devices-such as springs, diaphragm, levers, gears, or like partssubject to deterioration.

A still further object of my invention is to produce small volumes of gas, the production proceeding according to the consumption, whereby the usual gas-holder may be avoided, and to provide means whereby the gas-pressure cannot be raised beyond a predeterminate pressure without employing special devices therefor, such as safety-valves or the like.

These objects are attained by the novel con-- struction, combination, and arrangement of parts fully described hereinafter, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In order that this my invention may be the more readily understood and carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawing, showing an elevation of the improved apparatus, with portions broken away to disclose the main parts thereof.

The improved apparatus is composed of a water-reservoir containing water to decompose carbid of calcium,-a carbid-receptacle, a regulating-bell for regulating the feed of carbid, and an annular water-tank into which the bell is inverted.

The water-reservoir A, preferably made of cylindrical shape and arranged vertically, is mounted on any suitable support or frame A and terminates at its lower end in a conelike part A closed by means of a well-tight plug 0, provided with a cock or equivalent 0, through which the reservoir may be emptied, if required. The upper part of reservoir A is provided with a tubing B, closed by a removable plug B and through which the reservoir will be filled with water. The capacity of reservoir A is such that if the same is completely filled the volume of watercoutained in the reservoir will be able to decompose the entire amount of carbid adapted to be contained in the carbid-receptacle. The upper end of reservoir A is provided with a horizontally-projecting circular flange A to which the bottom of the water-tank, hereinafter described, may be easily secured in any preferred way.

The carbid-receptacle Fis formed of a cylindrical casing having an inclined apertured bottom F, the aperture of which may be closed or opened by means of a suitable valve G, rigidly secured to the top of the regulating-bell by means of valve-stem Gr, secured to a cross-piece K of a tube-section J, which in turn is rigidly secured to the top of said regulating-bell. The upper end of said receptacle is closed by a plate F suitably secured to the main body thereof and provided with a central open tubing H, through which said tube-section J passes loosely. The re ceptacle-top is provided with a number of horizontally-projecting lugs or equivalents F, resting upon the upper rim of the inner wall of the annular tank hereinafter described.

The carbid is preferably employed in a granular state.

The regulating-bell is formed of two cylinders 1 I, having different diameters and connected together by means of an annular plate 1 The regulating-bell is adapted to move freely up and down, its movement being guided by three or more projecting lugs or equivalents O, secured to and near the lower end of cylinderl, as shown, and a vertical rod 1 suitably secured to removably-mounted plate 1*, closing tube-section J, said rod 1 passing loosely through an eye 1 secured to the end of the overhanging arm V of post V, the lower end of which is suitably secured to the annular water-tank of the apparatus. It will be seen that the length of valve-stem G is adjusted so that, the regulating-bell being in its lowermost position and the lugs F of receptacle F resting upon the upper rim of the annular tank, valve G will be brought away from the discharge-opening of the receptacle and carbid allowed to drop into res ervoir A. As the bell moves upward said valve G will again close said discharge-opem ing, and as the bell rises still farther it will carry said receptacle with it. t

On two opposite sides of the regulating-bell and secured thereto are two brackets L M, carrying pivotally-mounted vertical boltsL, M, the lower ends of which are turned at right angles with the vertical shanks of said bolts and adapted to rest on the annular shoulder E of the water-tank to lock the regulatingbell in a position in which the lugs F of receptacle F are lifted above the upper rim of the inner wall of said water-tank, said receptacle then resting upon valve-G. In either position said regulating-bell communicates. with the interior of reservoir A through'the; annular space between said receptacle and the inner wall of the water-tank.

The water-tank of the apparatus is annulari in cross-section. The inner wall of same is; formed of a vertical cylinder E, and the outer? wall is formed of two cylinders E and E connected by annular plate E Said annu-i lar water-tank will be filled with water untill the level thereof rises to the bottom of cyl-% inder E so that if the regulating-bell merges E into the Water a hydraulic joint isformed and i the inner space of the apparatus tightly}. closed. The water-tank is provided with at suitable cock X (on the right in the draw-} ing) for emptying the same. The acetylene, gas produced within reservoir A flows up-l ward in the direction of the arrows and 811-? ters the mouth of a vertical pipe N, located between the inner wall E of the'water-tank and the wall of the regulating-bell and hav-i ing a horizontally turned part extending through the outer wall E of said water-tank? and discharging the acetylene gas into the} lower part of a suitable filter N, having a gas- 2 outlet N and a waste-cock N as shown. E The operation of the improved apparatus; will be easily understood from the foregoing description, and I deem it unnecessary to give further explanation thereof; but it maybe; still stated that before starting the apparatus the air contained therein may be expelled as follows: After having filled the reservoir A and tank E and charged the carbid-recepta-; cle F the removable plate or plug 1 will be removed from tube-section J and the regulating-bell with said receptacle putin-p'lace, so that a small quantity of'carbid will drop into reservoir A. The regulating-bell will then be lifted again and locked into this position by means of the bolts L M. The acetylene gas produced will force out the air contained within the apparatus through said tube-section J. The complete evacuation of air will be noticed by the odor of acetylene gas at the tube-section J. The latter will then be closed by means of said plug I after passing the rod I through eye 1 and the bell will be slowly lowered after disengaging the locking-bolts L and M. The apparatus will thus be started and operate automatically.

As it is'evident that many changes in the construction and relative arrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, I would have it understood that I do not restrictmyself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but that such changes and equivalents may be substituted therefor.

Having fully described my invention, what -I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a water-reservoir, a water-tank supported upon the reservoir, a carbid-receptacle arranged within the said tank and adapted for vertical movement and having a discharge-opening at its lower end, a regulating-bell surrounding the tank and adapted for vertical movement, a valve arranged to close partially or entirely the discharge-opening of the carbid-receptacle, and a connection between the carbid-receptacle and the valve whereby when the said receptacle rises it will cause the-valve to first partially close the discharge-passage, then entirely close it and finally cause the said receptacle to rise.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a Water-reservoir, a water-tank supported upon the reservoir, a carbid receptacle arranged within the said tank and adapted for vertical movement and having a discharge-opening at its lower end, a regulating bell surrounding the tank and adapted for vertical movement, a valve arranged to close partially or entirely the discharge-openingof the carbid-receptacle, and aiconnection between the carbid-receptacle and the valve whereby when the said receptaclerises it will cause the valve to first partially close the discharge-passage, then entirely close it and finally cause the said receptacle to rise,and means for su pporting'the regulating-bell in raised position with the valve entirely closing the discharge-passage of the carbid-receptacle.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a water-reservoir, a water-tank supported thereon, and comprising cylindrical portion E, and cylindrical portions E E and a plate E connecting'said latter portions, a carbid-receptacle arranged within the tank and adapted for vertical movement and having a dischargepassage at its lower end, a regulating-bell surrounding the tank and adapted for vertical movement, a valve arranged to close partially or entirely the discharge-opening of the carbid-receptacle, a connection betweenthe carbid-receptacle and the valve, adapted to operate the valve in the rising and falling movements of the said bell, and means carried by the bell adapted to engage over and be supported by the plate E when the bell has been raised to a point where the valve entirely closes the discharge-passage of the carbid-receptacle and the latter is supported by the said valve.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a water-reservoir, a Water-tank supported thereon and comprising inner and outer cylindrical portions, a carbid-receptacle arranged Within the inner portion of the tank and having a dischargepassage in its lower end, a valve arranged to control said passage, a bell arranged over the carbid-receptacle, a tube-section secured in the top of said bell, a rod secured to the tubesection and passing down within the carbidreceptacle and secured to the valve, and a plug removably closing the upper end of the tube-section.

EMMANUEL LARTIGNE. Witnesses:

A1). STURM, GREGORY PHELAN. 

